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Wednesday, 25 June 2014

Children & The small things!

Over the past 2 years I kept thinking of how to create memories with Munchkin. I dreamt of Disney world, driving to the biggest zoos available etc and lately Ive come to realise its not always the big things that stick in children's mind but the small things that sometimes seem meaningless to you and I.Surly not?!?.....the biggest safari park with the most amazing creatures?! that's gonna create memories right? well yes of course obviously depending on the child's age!

We have gone to lots of zoos etc and Munchkin has loved it however after returning home and giving it a day or so he doesn't mention it any longer.Its not that i begrudge paying for day trips etc however we aren't exactly flash with the cash and have had to cut down on the day trips lately, this is what has let to me discovering 'The small things'.

We took a walk as a family one day and took a blanket, ball, and a little picnic....we stopped where ever we wanted to sat and had our picnic and picked daisy's and munchkin has been on about this little adventure for ages!When i started to think about the little things i started to do more 'little things' that munchkin has loved and he still talks about them now....i watch him and he laughs a different laugh and smiles a different smile! Something I don't see of hear when we visit zoos etc.Today we went up to a local favourite of mine! It's a huge wide open space with amazing views! (Joys of living in Wales), a cycle track, woodlands and wetlands. It's so open we can let munchkin run and we can see him. No matter what time of day or year we go up there, there is only ever a hand full of people so it's lovely and peaceful. Today we decided to explore the wetlands. Loaded with our net and bucket I could see the excitement on munchkins sun creamed sweet little face! We got to the little pond and pool areas and even thought we didn't find anything with out nets we spent ages watching some huge beautiful dragonflies dart around above the water. They were so colourful and something that munchkin had never seen in real life! We soon came across lots of other little surprises like butterflies, frogs, hares, grass hoppers...and wait for it.....pine cones (a favourite of munchkins). This afternoon out cost us nothing yet it's something that I would have taken for granted in the past.

I'm going to list some of the 'little things' we really enjoying doing as a family! they are all things that cost nothing or very little! this list are things that some of us may dismiss as silly things that children wont be interested in! think again!

In the autumn... collect different leaves! even have a kick about in them!

Plant potatoes and a potato sack! great fun digging around for them when they are ready!

Go and collect pine cones/acorns

Fly a kite! (poundland sells a 2pk of kites for £1)

Go to the local garden centre to look at the fish (some will even let you feed them)

Go to your nearest lake/pond and fish for tadpoles

Chalk on the pavement/paving slabs

Picnic often!

Make a fort with your sofa or clothes horse

Boot sales! fab exercise walking around and kits can get a cheap toy if they are well behaved.

Build sandcastles at your local beach

Turn up the music and dance together!

Bowl of soapy water, plastic plates, a sponge...pop it outside in the nice weather and let them get on with it!

Finger painting! yep it can be messy but nothing that cant be cleaned (as long as you get the right paints)